Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-07-04
THE PRICE OF A SKULL.

a Lively and Profitable Tramc in Hum
an Bones.
There are men in Chicago, says the News
of that city, who sell skeletons. The trade
in skeletons conld not with correctness be
termed large. The run of people care very
little about skele tons; for, though every man
is said to have one in his closet, it has never
been discovered that they gave any satisfac-
ton or pleasure. No twithstanding the dis
like to having them escape, they are not
priced. But the skeletons referred to are not
of this impalpable sort. They are equally
CHASTITY, but they are imported. The sort kent
in closets are generally of home manufacs-
ure.
The skeletons which are kept for safe come
principally from Paris OF the great cities of
Germany.
''Time over here is too precious too waste on
akeletons," said a prominent dealer in them.
'sShould we try to get any here we would find
them very inferior"
'No, reflections on the national bone, sup
posea"
''Not in the least. No doubt American
| bones are quite as good as any other bones
But they are not Sc well prepared for the
market. 1t is long and tedious process to
| bleach the bones perfectly and get all the oil
1 out of them, 80 that they will remain per-
| fectly white. It is doubtful if we could get
| this really well done here"
The dealer was very genial looking man
| for one who sold skeletons, and to see him
with skull in his hand, smiling at it in a
l business-like way, was to see very interest
ing incongruity. 1t seems that there is great
difference in the value of skeletons. Fancy
/ an extremely proud and fastidious man
| walking around all his life with a very infe-
| rior set of bones and never knowing it! What
| humiliation 1t must be to his exclusive
spirit to find that the frame of which he had
| taken such care is rated as third-rate skele-
ton in the MARKET Perhaps his skeleton
| may only bring twenty-five dollars while
| that of some neighbor whom he never even
1 stopped to despise will bring seventy-dve or
i one hundred dollars. The difference lies in
| the comparative solidity of the bones
| Some are porous and spongy, and these
seldom have much care expended on them
| and bring low price. Others are firm and
| in every way perfect, and such are bleached
after the best methods, finely articulated or
put together, and sold at the best prices that
the market will bring. Even the uninitia-
| ted eye can discover the greatest difference
| in these skeletons.
Some are white, and even after man
ner shapely, and are put together with wires
| of copper or brass with care and finish. 9th
ers are unsightly and discolored, and losing
the beauty which attaches to any we'll execu-
ted implement or piece of machinery, take
to themselves the simple hideousness of the
| grave.
The skeletons of children or infants are
| not often wanted and are rarely imported
Certain portions of the body are required to
show different stages of developments, how
| ever, and the heads of children are frequent
ly required by medical colleges to show the
| development of the teeth. Some skulls have
the first and second sets quite complete one
row above the other. Skulls for the study
of the brain are arranged in various Manners
to show the several layers of bone and po-
rous matter which shield it. A skull will
bring as high price as whole skeleton un-
| der certain circumstances. Indeed one skull
which the genial gentleman exhibited sold
| for one hundred dollars. This was white as
snow, and mounted on a brass apparatus
| which held each portion of the head in its
right position, but at a distance of an inch
from its fellow. The brass instrument is
very cleverly made, with screws, etc, to
move the bones closer together if necessary.
This is designed especially for the lecturer
on anatomy, as is also the cslored skull.
which has different portions painted in red,
green, black and blue.